Uncoupler track



M. ZION UNCOUPLER TRACK Oct. 2, 1962 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 20.1960 INVENTOR Ma sEs Z/o/v ATTORNEYS M. ZION UNCOUPLER TRACK Oct. 2,1962 4 Sheets-Sheetl 3 Filed April 20. 1960 xNvENToR Mas-s Z/a/v BYWww/J 745521 4574 ATTORNEYS O 2, 1962 M. zloN 3,056,5l2

UNCOUPLER TRACK Filed April 20, 1960 4 SheetsflSheet 4 TIE'JL- Tlc'flELNvENToR MOSES Z/o/v ATTORNEYS United Statesl Patent Ofifice 3,056,512Patenfed Oct. 2, 1962 3,056,512 UNCOUPLER TRACK Moses Zion, Brooklyn,NX., assignor to The Lionel Corporation, New York, N .Y., a corporationof New York Filed Apr. 20, 1960, Ser. No. 23,437 4 Claims. (Cl. 213-211)This invention relates in general to improvements in model railroadtrack structures and in particular to a novel track section forrerailing truck wheels and for automatically uncoupling adjacent cars.

The invention employs a molded plastic base Structure having twoinclined end ram portions which are formed to blend into raised baseportions extending longitudinally along the outsides of the spacedparallel wheel bearing rails. The inclined ramp portion is provided witha pair of converging guide rails which extend along the outer edges ofthe ramp portion to direct the misplaced wheel flanges toward the raisedportion of the base adjacent the top edge of the rails. With thisinclined ramp construction at either end of the molded plastic tracksection base, a conventional, loosely pivoted car truck may be easilyaligned with the rails by the mere placement of the truck in approximatetrack aligned relation on the inclined ramp. Final alignment of thetruck is accomplished by sliding the truck up the ramp portion of thebase whereupon the wheel flanges will readly drop between the spacedrails.

In the center portion of the novel track Structure the inventionprovides an uncoupling device. This uncoupling device is purelymechanical in nature and is designed to operate upon a standard N.M.R.A.type miniature railroad coupler. These couplers are characterized byhaving a lower depending pin which conveniently forms the portion of thecoupler upon which the control members of the uncoupler operate.

The novel uncoupler mechanism comprises a pair of longitudinallyelongated spring biased control members which contact the dependingcoupler control pin as the coupler passes over the track section. Eachof the slidable uncoupling control members contact one of the dependingpns of a coupler pair as the joined cars pass thereover. If anuninterrupted forward motion of the joined cars occurs over the tracksection employing the uncoupler no uncoupling takes place. Similarly, ifjoned cars are pushed over the improved uncoupler no uncoupling occurs.Uncoupling is accomplished with the invention in a pure mechanicalmanner by the mere stopping of a pair of coupled couplers over thecontrol members, applying a slight reversal of the train direction witha subsequent continuation of the forward pulling direction.

In Operation of the uncoupling portion of the invention it is onlynecessary therefore to stop, reverse slightly and then continue to goforward to separate adjacent cars when the train enters the uncouplingtrack section in a pulling mode of Operation. In contrast, if a train isbeing pushed over the same novel uncoupler, the train need only bestopped with the selected cars above the uncoupling control members andthe direction of the locomotive reversed to a forward direction.

It is therefore an object of the invention to provide an improvedcombined rerailer and uncoupler track section.

It is another object of the invention to provide an improvedmechanically operated uncoupling device which acts upon adjacent carcouplers only when said coupler are held in compressive engagement andare stopped thereover.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a floating,opposed pair of spring biased longitudinally elongated uncouplingcontrol members spaced between a pair of parallel wheel bearing rails.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide an improved simplifiedtruck rerailer which quickly and easily aligns a misaligned car truckwith the rail portions of a model railway track.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an improved trackbase Structure which is of molded plastic material and incorporatesintegrally form-sd rail securing means.

Another object of the invention is to provide a combined rerailer anduncoupler which is simple and durable in construction, neat inappearance and economical to manufacture.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent andthe invention will be fully understood from the following descriptionand drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the track Structure of the invention;

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the invention;

FIG. 3 is a partial top plan view with portions broken away of the noveltrack Structure;

FIG. 4 is a transverse section taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a transverse section of the invention takenv along line S S ofFIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a transverse sectional view taken along line 6 6 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 7 is a transverse sectional View taken along line 7- 7 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 8 is a longitudinal sectional veiw taken along line 8- 8 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 9 is a top plan view of the invention showing a pair ofconventional trucks, one of which is in the process of being rerailedinto alignment with the track section rails;

FIG. 10 is a side elevation view of a derailed truck in the process ofbeing rerailed;

FIG. 11 is a view similar to FIG. 10 showing a derailed truck in a moreadvanced stage of the rerailing process;

FIG. 12 is a broken top plan view showing a pair of engaged couplers inpulling relation as they pass in a forward direction over the uncouplingcontrol members;

FIG. 13 is a plan view showing two abutting couplers as they pass overthe uncoupling control members in a car pushing relation;

FIG. 14 is a partial top plan view showing the relative positions ofmating couplers immediately after their disengagement by the uncouplingmembers;

FIG. 15 is an enlarged partial cross section view taken along lines15--15 of FIG. 13; and

FIG. 16 is an enlarged partial cross sectional view taken along lines16-16 of FIG. 14.

Referring to the drawings a combined rerailer and uncoupler generallydesignated 10 is shown having a base 12 which terminates at either endin sloping ramp portions 18. The sides of these tn'angular ramp portionsare bounded by raised guide rails 20 which along with the ramp portions18 extend upwardly to a narrowed portion 34 to form a fiush transitionwith a pair of spaced raised base portions 36. The base portions 36 aresubstantially equal in horizontal level as the top of the spacedparallel wheel bearing rails 22. These elongated base portions 36,extend between the top of the ramp portions located at either end of thebase, and form a narrow gap 38 between the outside of the rals 22 (FIG.4). A plurality of aligned rail securing clips 23 are integrally moldedin the base 12 to provide a channel like groove to slideably engage therail shoe portion 25 (FIG. 6). The base 12 is also provided with cut outportions or openings 40* which are separated by a base cross member 41which provides a guide for a pair of longitudinally elongated uncouplingcontrol members 14 and 16.

These uncoupling control members may be identical in shape and areprovided with interlocking male and female portions respectivelynumbered 26 and 28 to provide horizontal sliding engagementtherebetween. Each end of the uncoupling control member is provided withextending tab portions 30, which when assembled to the base 12, engage araised channel portion 32. These end channel portions also act to formretaining recesses for a pair of uncoupler control member bias Springs24 located therein. Referring to FIGS. 3 and 8, the bias springs 24 maybe seen extending about a depending pin portion 62 of the base andlocked underneath a pair of -base retaining tab portions 60. The freeends of the spring are each engaged in a corresponding slot 58 of eachof the control members 14 and 16. In FIG. 8, it can easily be seen howthe placement of the Spring 24 around the pin 62 and under the tabportion 69 creates a bias force on the ends St? of the uncoupled controlmembers to Wedge them in an upward direction against the underside ofthe channel portions 32, while allowing downward motion of the controlmembers onto the cross member portion 41 if necessary. On the lower sideof the raised channel portions 32, is a depending control membercentering stop 64 which acts to limit inward motion of the ends of eachuncoupling control member by contacting engagement with the retainingear portions 30, In this manner, it can easily be seen how the U-shapedsprings 24 act to maintain the elongated control members 14 and 16 in abaised inward position while not limiting outward or downward motionthereof.

Referring to FIGS. 9 to 16, a typical truck 42 is shown without itsnormally associated railroad car. The truck supports a pair of axles 49each of which carry conventional railway track Wheels 48, each havingfiange portions 50. Each truck has an aperture do which provides thelocation for pivotal mounting to an associated railway car (not shown).Attached to the truck 42 is a coupler mount 45 carrying a coupler showngenerally as 443. These couplers will be rccognized as typical N.M.R.A.configurations by those skilled in the art. Each coupler has a jawportion 54 and a pusher block portion 56 disposed thereunder. Integrallyformed with, and connected to, the lower surface of the pusher block isa depending coupler control pin 52. Contained within the coupler mountbut not shown is a Spring bias means which acts to continually urge thecoupler in a counterclockwise direction about a pivot point 47 in themember 45. In this way, due to their counter-clockwise biasing, thecouplers become self engaging when the ends of adjacent railway cars areslammed into contacting relation.

In the Operation of the rerailing features of applicant's invention, itcan easily be seen how in FIG. 9 a skewed coupler 42 which straddles thewheel bearing rails 22, will become aligned therewith as the truckassembly is moved up the inclined portion 18. As the truck assembly ismoved up the ramp portion, the guides 20 will align the wheel flangeslying outside the rails 22 upon the flush portion 36. Because thisportion of the base is fiush with the tops of the rails and the fiangesStl are sutficiently thick not to engage the slot 38, the wheel fiangeswill automatically slip into aligned relation and drop into theircorrect position (see FIGS. and 11 for the successive illustration ofthese events).

The Operation of the uncoupler mechanism oceurs only if movement of thecouplers desired to be uncoupled is stopped above the control memberportion of the track section. In other words, the uncoupler controlmembers are inoperative upon the couplers connecting the cars of anytrain which is continuously pulled over the mechanism or converselypushed over the mechanism. In either event, no uncoupling will occurbecause the mechanism of the invention remains inoperative in thisdynamic state. Consider first the operation of the invention when a caris pulled in a forward direction over the uncoupler with the jaws in atensile or pulling relation. In this instance, uncoupling after thecouplers had come to rest would be accomplished by the inward Springforce of springs 24 acting through the horizontally sliding controlmembers 14 and 16 upon their respective control pins 52. INormally, theSpring force exerted by Spring 24 would be incapable of overcoming theinterlocking engagement of the tip portions of the jaws 54 upon stoppingover the control members. Therefore, in order to accomplish uncouplingit is necessary not only to stop over the uncoupling mechanism but alsoto initiate a slight reversing action so that the tip portions 55 of thejaw members no longer interfere with each other and therefore allow theforce of Spring 24 to move the coupler jaws 54 out of alignment witheach other. After the Spring force has moved, the jaw portions out ofalignment with each other, the Subsequent reapplication of a forwardmotion to the leading car will accomplish uncouplingv as best seen inFIG. 14. In FIG. 13, the relative positions of the mating couplers isshown when a train is being pushed over the uncoupling mechanism. Inthis illustration, it can be seen that because the pusher block portions56 are in abutting relation, that the jaw tip portions 55 of eachcoupler are not in overlapping engagement. Therefore, upon stopping thedesired coupler to be uncoupled over the mechanism of the invention, thecontrol members 14 and 16 will act to urge their contacting control pins52 to cause a Shifting of the relative axial positions of the couplerhalves from the position as shown in FIG. 13 to the position as shown inFIG. 14.

While a specific embodiment of the invention has been shown anddescribed in detail to illustrate the application of the inventionprinciples, it will be understood that the invenion may be embodiedotherwise Without departing from such principles.

I claim:

1. An uncoupler for model railway couplers of the type having controlpins extending downwardly therefrom comprising an elongated base, a pairof spaced wheel earing rails mounted upon said base, said base includinga pair of longitudinally spaced openings therethrough between saidrails, a pair of substantially parallel longittudinally elongateduncoupler control members, said members being of greater length than thespacing beveen the opposite extremes of said openings and having theirend portions extending through said openings in contact with theunderside of said base, means slidably mounting said control membersupon said base to allow horizonal transverse movement thereof relativeto said wheel bearing rails, and Spring bias means disposed beneath thebase in engagement with each end of said control members to urge saidmembers toward one another.

2. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein each control member issubstantially L-shaped in cross section and forms with its opposingcontrol member a U-Shaped guide way adapted to engage said couplercontrol pins.

3. Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said spring means includesmeans to bias said control members upwardly away from said base.

4. Apparatus as set forth in claim 3 including central stop means on theunderside of said base adjacent the openings therein engag'ing the endsof said control members and limiting the longitudinal and transversemovement thereof relative to said base.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS349,783 Campbell Sept. 28, 1886 388,122 Childs Aug. 21, 1888 1,591,875Myers July 6, 1926 2,318,74l Bowen et al May 11, 1943 2,558,383Pritchard June 26, 1951

